A LONG-RUNNING local campaign to reopen the Cranleigh to Guildford railway line received a powerful boost this week.

Britain’s train operating companies have called for railway lines closed as part of the infamous Beeching cuts to be reopened to link expanding communities to the rail network.

In a report published on Monday, the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) said there was a strong business case for reopening the Cranleigh to Guildford line, which was closed in 1965 but lives on as a popular bridleway.

Cranleigh was singled out as one of 14 recommended schemes which would provide the greatest benefit-cost ratio.

The report identified the social costs and benefits such as time savings by road users and reduction in road accidents as well as the earnings from fares, and compared them with the cost of operating new train services and the capital costs of reinstating the lines.

The ATOC plan is for half-hourly services as a development of the London Waterloo to Guildford stopping trains. At the time the line was closed, the journey from Cranleigh to Guildford took a mere 12 minutes.

ATOC wants work to begin immediately on developing plans to reopen lines with a positive benefit-cost ratio and believes this could be achieved within 10 years and would cost just over £500m.

It will now work with train operators, Network Rail and local authorities to validate the work so far undertaken and to confirm which routes would justify safeguarding.

Surrey County Council has estimated that 3,500 people a week would use the reopened Cranleigh line, bringing the operator £840,000 in annual revenue.

Dunsfold Park

When the Cranleigh line was closed, it was a main commuter line. The decision was strongly opposed by the local community, but to no avail.

The closure also hit the area’s economy hard. Two coal merchants went out of business shortly after the line was shut.

This week’s announcement was welcomed by Cranleigh Chamber of Trade president Roger Coupe, who said: “It’s great news for Cranleigh residents and the business community.

“Reopening the line will mean people can get to Cranleigh more quickly and we want more people to live, shop and work here.”

Bringing back the line would also provide a major boost for Dunsfold Park’s plan to build 2,600 ‘green’ homes at the aerodrome outside Cranleigh village.

Secretary of State for Communities John Denham is due to decide whether to grant planning permission on appeal at the end of September.

“We fully support the ATOC report on expanding the existing rail network through Cranleigh and have been investigating putting the line back into use in some form since 2000,” said Dunsfold Park chief executive Jim McAllister.

“Reopening the Cranleigh rail link will naturally complement the existing green travel plans proposed for the eco-village and will confirm the reduction in traffic numbers which we anticipate by the time the village is finished.

“As we continue to build on our own transport proposals we will actively work with the ATOC to ensure the future of a Cranleigh rail link.”